Screen retaining unit



Oct. 25, 1938. c. J. NICHOLSON SCREEN RETAINING UNIT Filed June 29, .1936

INVENTOR.

' Constwht/n James Nicholson.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE A SCREEN RETAINING UNIT V Constantin James Nicholson, Brooklyn, N. Application June 29, 1936, Serial No. 88,000 8 Claims. (01. 156-14) This invention relates to a screen retaining unit capable of being rigidly attached to and de tached from the window framing of a building and including means for the quick and convenient removal of the screen to afford access to the window with which it is associated.

7 An important object of my;invention is to provide a sectional screen retaining unit of the above character so constructed. as to be adaptable for "it use with windows of varying dimensions and capable of being knocked down so as to occupy only a small space for storage for handling or for shipment. V

The invention has for another object to provide it. a screen retaining unit of the above character including a screen detachably associated with the screen retaining unit which is capable of being rapidly and conveniently removed from the screen retaining unit and out of obstructing rela- 20 tion with the window as, for example, when washing the latter. i i

Another object of the invention is to provide a screen retaining unit of the above character which is ofsimple construction,"inexpensive to 25 manufacture and which is attachableto the window framing without special tools and without damaging the woodwork. Other objects and advantages will becomeapparent from the following detailed description 30 of a preferred embodiment of my invention, considered in connection with the annexed'drawing in which: p V

Figure 1 is an end view of a screen retainer;

. Figure 2 is a plan view of the screen retainer of Fig, 1;

Figure 3 is aside View of the screen retainer; Figure 4 is a side view of the screen retainer of Fig. 3 with the screens shown in position for removal; 4t Figure 51s a plan view of the upper. end of the screen retainer attached to the window framing and viewed from inside the building;

Figure 6 is a similar view of the screen retainer viewed from outside the building;

Figure 7 is across section through the upper end of a window casement showing the. manner of securing the screen retainer inplace; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the screen retainer.

One objection of window screens of conventional' construction comprising a wood frame covered by Wirecloth is thatsuch screens are not readily interchangeable with the other windows of'a building due to the fact that thedimensions of the windows vary more or less. This is because of thepractical difiiculties in constructing the window framing to exactly the same inside measurement or because of warping of the wood framing or settling of the building which changes the original size or shape of the window opening into which the screen is designed to fit. By my inventiori' this objection is overcome by providing a screen retainer composed of individual sections capable of being assembled according to the size of the window to be screened and being rigidly 10 attachableto the window framing.

In Figure 2 is shown such a screen retainer, indicated I, consisting of a casing composed of sheet metal side plates 2 and sheet metal top and bottomplates 3 and} respectively extending between and underlying the upper and lower ends ofthe side plates. The side plates and top and bottom plates are provided with holes 5 adjacent their corners designed to be placed in registry at p the time the retainer is assembled in place, and through which screws are introduced in the attachment of the screen retainer to the framing of a window; The screen retainer may be secured to eitherthe inner side or the outer side of the window, depending upon the type of window. I

Intermediate the top and bottom of the retainer is across plate 6 extending between the side plates and dividing the retainer into twoopenings, the cross plate 6 also being provided with holes 5 aligning with corresponding holes formed in the side plates through which screws are adapted to be passed into the window framoverlying the face of the retainer designed to 5 be disposed toward the interior of the building and opposite that face of the retainer carrying the top and bottom plates 3 and 4 is a pair of screen sections 1 and 8. Each of these sections comprise a rectangular frame 9 made of sheet 40 metal desig'nedto' lie flat against the side plates 2 and of a" siz e soas to completely enclose an opening in'the retainer as shown in Fig; 2.

The frames 9 are covered with wire cloth or screening Ill attached thereto in any suitable manner. For detachably holding the upper screen frame in place a channel member II is rigidly carried uponthe top plate 3 a flange of which is directed downwardly so as to overhang the upper edge of the frame but affording sufficient clearance to allow the frame to be swung outwardly therefrom, as indicated in'Fig. 4, wh-en the frames are to be removed. The lower edge .of the screen frame rests upon a pair of pins I2 projecting outwardly from a face of the cross plate 6.

Similarly the lower frame 9 has its lower edge resting within a channel l4, corresponding to channel ll, secured to the bottom plate 4 and its upper plate located adjacent the pair of pins [2. Svvivelly mounted upon each pin I2 is a latch l5 which normally overlies the bottom and top edges of the upper and lower screen sections 1 and 8 respectively but which can be turned so as to release these edges, as indicated in Fig. 4 and allow the screen sections to be removed from the channels.

The screen retainer will ordinarily be shipped to the retailer and sold to the customer in knockdown condition so as to reduce transportation costs and for convenience in handling. That is, the side plates 2, top and bottom plates 3 and 4, cross plate 6 and the two screen sections 1 and 8 composing the screen retaining unit will ordinarily be sold unassembled. It is only necessary for the purchaser to fit the sections to the size of the window and secure them in place by passing screws through the window framing.

The screen retainer is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 fastened to the outside of a window framing. In order that the screen retainer may be rendered suitable for windows of varying sizes, the top and bottom plates 3 and 4 and the cross plate 6 are provided with supplemental screwengaging holes 5a as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus the retainer may be lengthened or widened within reasonable limits by simply bringing the appropriate screw holes 5 or 5a of the top, bottom and cross plates into registry with the companion holes of the side plates.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modified form of screen retainer. In this embodiment of the invention the sheet metal casing 20 consists of side plates formed of two parts 2041, top plate 2|, bottom plate 22 and cross plate 23. Instead of the side plates overlying the top, bottom and cross plates, all of these plates are disposed in abutting relation as shown in the drawing. Thus in applying the retainer to a window of any dimensions, it is only necessary to shift the plates with respect to each other and independently fasten them to the window framing by passing screws through the holes 23 therein. 7

As in the retainer previously described, the top and bottom plates are provided with angle members 24 designed to receive the two screen frames which are adapted to be associated with the casing and the cross plate 23 is provided with latches 25, corresponding to the latches just described to maintain the opposed edges of the frames tightly against the casing. This screen retainer may in all other respects conform to the construction of the retainer of Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive.

It will be apparent that various changes in the construction of the screen retaining unit described above may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example the casing may be constructed with slidably adjustable sections to vary its dimensions. Also other forms of screens may be substituted for the type disclosed above. While I have shown and described the screen as of wire mesh, it will be apparent that other materials may be employed, such as glass window panes, in which case the unit will serve as a storm window.

I claim:

1. An article of the class described comprising in combination with a window framing a casing including side plates, and top and bottom plates extending between the side plates, said side plates and top and bottom plates being separable and independently and immovably attachable to the framing of the window, a screen frame adapted to overlie a side of said casing, a rest for supporting the lower edge of the screen frame adjacent the lower end of the casing and releasable means for maintaining the opposite edge of the screen frame in association with said casing.

2. An article of the class described comprising in combination with a window framing a casing including side plates, and top and bottom plates extending between the side plates, said side plates and top and bottom plates being separable and independently and immovably attachable to the framing of the window, a screen frame adapted to overlie a side of said casing, a rest for supporting the lower edge of the screen frame adjacent the lower end of the casing and releasable means for maintaining the opposite edge of the screen frame in association with said casing, said side members and top and bottom members being detachably connectable.

3. An article of the class described comprising in combination with a window framing a casing including side plates, and top and bottom plates extending between the side plates, said side plates and top and bottom plates being separable and independently attachable to the framing of the window, a screen frame adapted to overlie a side of said casing, a rest for supporting the lower edge of the screen frame adjacent the lower end of the casing and releasable means for maintaining the opposite edge of the screen frame in association with said casing, said side plates and top and bottom plates being provided with screw holes capable of being brought into registry to permit varying the size of the casing.

4. An article of the class described comprising a casing including a pair of side members, top and bottom members extending between said side members adjacent their opposite ends and a cross member extending between said side members intermediate their ends, an upper and a lower screen frame in engagement with a face of the casing, reversely disposed channel members carried upon the top and bottom members and having a flange overlying the remote edges of the screen frames, a projection carried by the cross-member adjacent the opposed edges of the screen frames and a latch mounted upon said projection and normally maintaining said screens in association with the casing.

5. An article of the class described comprising a casing including a pair of sheet metal side members, top and bottom members composed of sheet metal extending between said side members adjacent their opposite ends and a cross member of sheet metal extending between the side membersintermediate their ends, said top, bottom and cross members overlying one face of the side members, an upper and a lower screen frame composed of sheet metal and designed to normally overlie the opposite face of the side members, reversely disposed channel members located adjacent the upper and lower ends of the casing and having a flange overlying the remote edges of the screen sections, a pair of pins carried by the casing adjacent the opposed edges of the screen frames and latches swivelled to the pins and normally overlying the outer faces of the frames but rotatable to a position to release said frames.

6. An article of the class described comprising in combination with a window framing an open casing composed of a plurality of independent sections mutually shii'table in respect to each other to vary the size of the opening of the casing, said sections being adapted to be immovably attached to a window framing, a detachable screen frame overlying a side of the casing and laterally removable therefrom and means for detachably maintaining the screen frame in association with the casing.

7. An article of the class described comprising 7 in combination an open window framing, a casing attached to the interior of the window fram ing, a screen frame overlying the casing and laterally removable therefrom, and a latch for securing the screen frame to the casing, said casing comprising a plurality of unconnected, relatively displaceable sections shiftable to fit the size of the window framing and independently and immovably attachable to said window frammg.

8. An article of the class described comprising in combination an open window framing, a casing attached to the interior of the window framing, a pair of screen frames overlying the casing and laterally removable therefrom and a latch for securing the screen frames to the casing, said casing comprising a plurality of unconnected, relatively displaceable sections shiftable to fit the size of the window framing and independently and immovably attachable to said window framing, and one of said screen frames being supported by the casing.

CON STANTIN JAMES NICHOLSON. 

